Cant-hook.



A. J. THAYER.

CANT HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE :4. 191a.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

roe.

CANT-HOOK.

Specification of Letters Patent;

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

Application filed June 14, 1918. Serial No. 240,033.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVIN J. THAYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New London, in the county of New London, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cant-Hooks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to. improvements in cant hooks and particularly to devices of this character which are especially adapted for handling timber, railway ties, and the like.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved device whereby a tie or piece of timber can be lifted and carried or rolled with greater efficiency and less labor than with cant hooks heretofore.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved device of this character which serves as an eflicient handle for the laborer when lifting or turning a tie or piece of timber, and doing away with the usual pivoted portions of the cant hooks now in use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of one form of my cant hook.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of another form of the device which is especially adapted for use in connection with round objects such as logs.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a railway tie showing two of my devices in engagement therewith.

Fig. 4: is a similar view of a log showing the second form of the device in use therewith.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a further modification of the device, the same being a modification of the first form shown.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1, 10 represents a suitable handle member which may be formed from wood, or other suitable material. Secured in one end of the member 10 is the shank 11 of the cant hook. The hook includes the two branches or arms 12 and 13, which extend from the shank in the manner of the arms of the letter Y. The inner faces of these arms are respectively smooth, as shown at 14, and provided with the sharpened prongs 15. The prongs are curved or inclined slightly in a direction toward the angle between the arms, as clearly seen in the drawing, whereby when the device is engaged with a tie, as shown in Fig. 3, the prongs will bite into the side face of the tie and tend upwardly. The smooth face of the arm 12 will bear against the upper face of the tie, and by grasping the handle, the operator can readily lift the tie from the ground. By the use of four of these devices, at opposite sides and at opposite ends of the tie, the workmen can easily and quickly lift and carry the tie without danger of the same slipping from their grasp. The device is also useful in turning over ties to properly position them in the railway bed.

In Fig. 5 there is shown a modification of the form of Fig. 1. In this modification the smooth faced arm 12 extends straight outwardly from the end of the handle 10, while the arm 13, which has the prongs 15 extends in the same relative direction as the arm 13 of the first form. When this form is used in connection with railway ties, the handle will extend outwardly from the side of the tie at right angles thereto, as will be understood.

In Fig. 2 there is shown a form which is especially adapted for use in connection with logs. This use is clearly shown in Fig. 4. This form of the device has both of the arms 16 and 17 curved to fit the contour of the log. The former of these arms has the inner smooth face 18, while the other arm has the prongs 19, formed and extending in the same manner as those of the other forms.

While there is shown a device with curved arms for use in connection with logs, the devices of the first and last forms may also be used in connection therewith, it being certain that some of the prongs will bite into the side of the log. The prongs may be secured to the arms of the devices in any dealsired manner, as by riveting, welding, or the ike.

What is claimed is:

1. A cant hook including a handle member, a shank carried by the handle and formed withzapa-ir of outwardly diverging; a plura-lity of; prongs inelining slightly in a arms, one of the arms having an inner direction towardithe anglebetweenitherarms. 10 smooth face, the other arm being provided In testimony whereof, I affix my signature with prongs on the inner face-thereof inthe presence-of two itnesses.

2. A cant hook including a handle mem- ALVIN J. THAYER. her, a pair of diverging arms connected. Witnesses: therewith, one arm having an inner smooth 0. W. CRAWFORD, faoeytheinnerzface of'the'other arnihaving WILLIAM F. BURGESS.

Copies of this patent may beolitained'for five cents each; byaddresing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

